Polk County Conservation has launched a fundraising campaign to redevelop Sleepy Hollow Sports Park into a year-round skiing destination.

The project will revitalize an amenity on the east side of Des Moines, an area local businessman and campaign co-chair J. Elder said has been overlooked in the fast-growing metro.

Elder, 56, grew up not far from Sleepy Hollow. His grandparents met at East High School in 1925.

“We’re just legacy east-siders, I guess,” said Elder, president of Elder Corp., an excavation company based in Pleasant Hill.

Elder said it’s that connection to the east side that drew his support for the project to redevelop the sports park, which has fallen into disrepair.

“Just being heavily invested in the east side and eastern Polk County, I love to do things for that area,” he said.

Elder said the project will benefit not only the east side but the entire region, providing a recreational destination year-round that will include skiing, trails, a pond and other amenities.

“I’m a big outdoors guy and this isn’t just about Sleepy Hollow,” he said. “Polk County just built a mountain bike park north of Copper Creek Lake, so this whole corridor is just ripe for outdoor recreation and activities.”

Polk County purchased the site from Rick and Mary Flatt in 2022. The Flatts had operated the 76-acre park for about 30 years before selling it to the county.

They didn’t want the park to be redeveloped into townhomes or strip malls so they reached out to the county, said Kami Rankin, deputy director of Polk County Conservation.

“We purchased the property from them and then it was like, ‘OK, what do we do now?’” Rankin said. “We did an inventory. We knew when we bought it that things were declining, so we knew we were going to have to make an in-depth investment into the park.

“We’re excited to maximize its use and do as many things as we possibly can here for the public,” she said. 

But first, the county needs to raise funds to help with the improvements.

Polk County Conservation has begun a $10 million campaign to help fund the park’s redevelopment.

So far, about $3 million has been raised, Rankin said. 

The goal is to raise about $6.5 million by mid-July.

Polk County Conservation will also work with other local communities and the state for funding to help reach the estimated $17 million cost of the proposed improvements. It may also seek federal grants, if available.

The upgrades include a new lodge, new snow-making equipment, a new chairlift, a bunny hill made with Snowflex, a synthetic material that when sprayed with water allows for skiing and snowboarding when it’s too warm to make snow and upgraded infrastructure, utilities, parking lots and landscaping.

The county had already installed a 600-foot trail of Snowflex in 2023, making it the longest all-weather turf snow run in the world.

When the improvements are complete, it will also increase the number of snow runs from seven to 11, Rankin said.

There is also an opportunity to groom cross-country ski trails in the park, she said.

“We’ve been getting calls for that, which is great,” Rankin said. “That’s what we want to hear. What do you want?”

Polk County Conservation is working with OPN Architects, and design firms Uncurbed and SE Group on the project.

Sleepy Hollow originally opened as a winter sports park but expanded to include activities such as golf, go-karts, batting cages and more.

Over the years, the Renaissance Village was built and it became the site of a haunted Halloween event.

Reynolds Cramer, CEO of Fareway Stores Inc., is the corporate chair of the campaign leadership team. He said the goal is to build on the park’s history and make it a family destination for the next generation.

“To have something in this part of Des Moines, to have something that is year-round, that’s a niche that you can’t get anywhere else, I really wanted to get involved because it’s helping families and just bringing people together,” he said.

Cramer said a redeveloped Sleepy Hollow can also play a role in the region’s placemaking efforts, and its ability to attract and retain talent.

“For me, this is one more crown jewel of the metro, and this isn’t just about Des Moines, it’s about bringing people here, be it from Waukee or Newton,” he said. “As you look around Des Moines, there’s a lot of crown jewels. This is just one more that’s very unique. There’s not another one like it. So adding to this area, it’s one more way to bring people and families here. And then you think about the economics of what that means. It’s hotels and all those things. You’re bringing people here and someone is going to stop at a local restaurant, maybe do some shopping in the area.”

Rankin said the county will hire upto 170 seasonal employeesto help operate the park. Once all the improvements are made, Sleepy Hollow is expected to generate at least $837,000 in revenue and nearly double its ability to accommodate customers.

The county is also offering sponsorship and naming opportunities for various areas and amenities at the park to generate more revenue.

Jeff Condon, leisure services manager with Polk County Conservation, is from New York and ran a ski shop and ski school in Old Forge, N.Y., at McCauley Mountain in the Adirondack Mountains.

He said installing the Snowflex run and adding a bunny hill made with the material is exciting for the regional skiing community.

“Skiing here is so limited, right?” Condon said. “So, being able to ski whenever you want, when it’s warm out, it’s very attractive. The ski industry as a whole is watching what we’re doing. It’s pretty specialized and there should be a lot more of this out there.”

He also said: “We can do really big things here on a really small hill.”

Elder said Sleepy Hollow was developed after he was already an adult, but he remembers taking his children there for snow tubing and other activities when they were younger.

Revitalizing the park will create an “iconic” destination for the entire region, while providing amenities for corporate outings or other events in the new clubhouse that has a kitchen and catering. But it’s going to take the community to make the vision a reality, Elder said.

“It’s a unique project and it’s going to take more than a few of us to raise money to get this off the ground,” he said. “I’m asking businesses to see the vision and join alongside me. We’ve got a pretty good start but it’s going to take a lot more people to get it done.”